The result would be to have the most suitable, cost-effective product; US manufacture (assembly or fitting) solves the US politics, ...
Only if "US manufacture" = aircraft which are mostly US domestic content.
....but doesn’t exclude Airbus manufacture – or even building airframes for Boeing completion as well as world wide marketing.[/COLOR]
That does exclude mostly Yur-O-pee-un Airbus manufacture of any tankers. If Autobus of the Air wants to buld A320 tankers in Alabama, that might fly.
What that Air Force Times: Fuel capacity pivotal in tanker bid stuff means is that the Air Force will probably get some 777-based tankers, after considerable delay.